Inhaler



y 1948- M. EHLINGER 2,445,347

INHALER Filed July 18, 1945 Inv 61271701 JET 6 1/12/ 81 Patented July 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application July 18, 1945, Serial No. 605,820 In France March 16, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 16, 1964 3 Claims. 1 Inhalers are known consisting of receptacles in which very hot water has been poured, at the surface of which air is inhaled, heated by the vapour evolved by the water. These apparatus are not convenient although they are frequently used.

The present invention relates to an inhaler characterised in that the air is heated by electric heating, the air drawn in passing over resistances through which flows an electric current. The exhaled air is expelled into the atmosphere along a channel which avoids the incoming-air path, by means of a set of clack valves. The air may be humidified by providing in the path of the air drawn in a surface wetted by a liquid which may be any kind of solution, heated, if need be.

The figure of the drawing shows an inhaler in accordance with the invention.

In the body of the apparatus in the form of a mask I made of a thin sheet of metal or of synthetic resin, 2 is a resistance through which flows an electric current and which is heated thereby. It may be composed of several resistances connected in any desired manner so as to increase or decrease the heating. The air, drawn in through the valve 3, becomes heated in the contact of the resistance 2, then sweeps past a heat accumulator 4 composed, for example, of several sheets of metal and intended to regularize the temperature of the air. The exhaled air escapes through the valve 5.

An air humidifier may be used, It may comprise a flask 6 in which clips a wick I which, in view of its capillarity is always imbibed with the liquid. The wick is continuously swept by the air drawn in.

The apparatus can be held by a strap device such as 8.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An inhaler including a fluid-tight chamber, a mask mounted on an open side of said chamher, an expiration valve on said mask, electric air-heating means arranged in said chamber, airhumidifying means consisting in a wick having its upper portion located within the chamber in the path of the heated air and its lower portion dipping in a reservoir connected with the inhaler and an inlet valve provided in a Wall of said chamber.

2. An inhaler according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir consists in a flask provided with a large- 1y emerging wick and detachably connected with the bottom of the chamber.

3. An inhaler according to claim 1 which in addition comprises a heat regulator composed of a few metal sheets and arranged in the path of the heated air.

MARCEL EHLINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,309,846 Holm Feb. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 197,946 Great Britain Apr, 3, 1924 

